"Why is it that after “war on terror” is launched, that so many terrorists activities start emerging in Pakistan and in areas which had never given trouble before?"
Influence of Nightmares: War on Terror (Part III)
WAR ON TERROR OR WAR OF TERROR? Zahra Belal Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Come 1999 and history repeats itself in Pakistan. Another coup, dismissal of government on charges of corruption and maladministration. Gen Musharraf sets up an interim government ( which lasted for eight years) and repeatedly promised that elections will be held after the crisis abide. 11th September 2001, World trade Center and War on terror “introduced.” Suddenly, there are extremists forces inside Afghanistan, who literally live in stone age, which are a threat to the super power, who has encroached The Space. Not to forget, these were the once heroes of the free world and the culprit (bin Laden) for whom this cat and dog chase started is in fact a US trained man.
While war is declared against these caves men, the world is made to believe and live one lie after another. The then President George W. Bush was quite to say that he knew, “…exactly who the terrorists were and which governments were supporting them.” On the same day, the FBI said that it had “doubts about identities of some of the hijackers.” A band of Saudis had hijacked the planes, then why invade Afghanistan? Oh, because Bin Laden is hiding there. Seen the size of Afghanistan? Are you going to bomb the whole country for one man? But you see it’s not just one man, it’s a whole organization behind this and we need to eliminate them! That and throw in liberation of women and set media on this trail, and you have got the whole world terrified.
Like before, America had a dictator ready in Pakistan, who would endorse this war in exchange of dollars to fuel his vehicle of power. Pledging our allegiance to America, we donated our air bases, Intelligence and country men. Unlike Zia’s “Islamization”, Musharraf prescribed “Enlightened Moderation”, according to the need of the hour. Extremism and Terrorism was redefined, suddenly there existed plenty of it in Pakistan. Media was given full liberty vis-à-vis enlightened moderation, which did not simply ,mean freedom of speech/opinion. It encouraged advertisements, dramas and fads which were against the religious teachings of Islam and cultural practices of the country. There were neither censures nor consequent censors. Where once certain things would have raised eyebrows or disapproval, now they were nonchalantly broadcasted and eventually they became a norm. These were meant to show “Moderate” people who were to be emulated by Pakistanis. Hence, it reinforced the idea of “extremists” and the “moderates.”
To keep this nightmare going, the sequel episodes of WTC were launched which included Madrid and London Bombings. Soon, it spread to Pakistan, where once it was an anomaly, suicide bombing became an every day business. It was at this time it was alleged the tribal areas of Pakistan are nurseries to these terrorists. To support this point, we have frequent blasts all over the country. Through this, the Musharraf government managed to infuse within the people a deep seeded fear of Islamic Militancy and Extremism.
Looking at the ‘consequent’ suicide bombings, it should be interesting to note that these bombings have usually always occurred whenever the Pakistani stock market shows even an inch of an upward trend. According to many popular controversies circulating not just within Pakistan but also written about by international journalists, these, “are calculated attempts to isolate and destabilize the country - attacks that have been planned by people who understand how to probe a culture’s weak points, and are skilled in the art of systems disruption.” (‘Are we Really Helping Pakistan’ – by David Stevens, March 4th 2009)
Hence, the sole culprits of every terrorist activity are these extremists, regardless of who could have gains from it. In almost all of the cases, its never even proven, despite the fact that most of the picture of these bombers show men without even a beard (so much for extremism) In a country like Pakistan where people commit suicide out of hunger, unemployment and poverty, it is not difficult to persuade people to wear suicide belts in exchange of financial support for their loved ones. That and add couple of glad tidings of Hereafter and you have got a suicide bomber. As for the recent example of burning of an all girls’ school, the school was there for quite some years and those so-called extremists were promptly sending their girls. All of a sudden, after all these years, they realize to blow it up? Why is it that after “war on terror” is launched, that so many terrorists activities start emerging in Pakistan and in areas which had never given trouble before?
Most tragically, thousands of lives have been lost in the “war on terror” in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq, and umpteenth maimed for life. Who is going to account for their blood on the Day of Judgement, on Allah Almighty’s court? The question to ponder upon is: whose war is it any way? Yes, WTC, 7/7, Madrid, suicide bombs in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq could have been “acted out” by Muslims. But who schemes, funds, manipulates and most of all gains from them, across cities, countries and continents? Think about it.
